Easel



Feb. 21, 1928. 1,659,871

w. A. HARTMAN v EASEL Filed April 27, 1927 INVENTOR WWW Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

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EASEL 1 Application filed April 27, 1927. Serial No. 186,902.

invention relates to easels and is here-' inafter described as employed in connection with easels for supporting mirrors or pictures, but it will be apparent that it is suitable for use in various other relations.

My invention has for one of its objects the provision of an easel having its supporting member and brace. so arranged that the brace will be automatically actuated upon movement of the supporting member be- 7 tween its extended and folded positions.

Another object of my invention is to simplify and improve generally the structure and operation of the movable parts of an easel.

One form which my invention may take is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the easel, looking from the rear; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof and partially in section; Fig. 3 is a back View of the easel, showing the movable parts in folded position, and Fig. 4 is an edge elevational view thereof.

For convenience of description, I have shown a frame 5 for holding a mirror 6 in somewhat the usual manner. The frame 5 is provided with a back plate 7 to which is secured a clip plate 8, preferably of sheet metal and secured to the. back plate 7 by means of tongues 9 and 10 that extend through the plate 7 and are bent under the same to hold the clip in place. Eyes or loops 11 and 12 are formed in the clip 8 to serve as pivotal bearings for a back rest or support 13, and a strut or brace. 14, respectively. The clip 8 and the back sheet or plate 7 together form What I will hereinafter refer to as a base.

The support 13 is preferably of wire bent to yoke-like form, with its ends inturned within the eye 11 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The legs of the support 13 are bent inward intermediate their ends to form shoulder portions against which the closed end of the strut 14 may rest when the strut is moved to its lowest position. The closed end or loop of the brace 14 partially embraces the reduced portion of the support 13, and it will be seen that when the strut is folded from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the shoulders 15 will engage the lower side of the strut 14 to push it to folded 13 will engage the loop end of the support 13 to force the brace outwardly until it is engaged by the narrow portion of the support, whereby its movement to extended position is continued. The shoulders 15 also limit downward movement of the brace 14,

The strut 14 is freely movable about it! pivotal point, within the limits defined by the shoulders 15 and the inclined portions 16 of the support, and such shoulders and inclined portions are so arranged that they will move the brace from one position to the other without binding.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by simply manipulating the supporting member 13 between its folded and extended positions, the strut member will be automatically moved to and from its operative positions, without binding, and that only one hand of the operator is required to effect such movements. I

I claim as my invention 1. Easel structure com rising a base, a support pivotally connecte at its upper end to said base and having a transverse shoulder intermediate its ends, and a strut pivotally connected at its inner end to the base and having its outer end extending over the support at a pointabove said shoulder, the strut extending around the said support and being formed to permit sliding movement of the said shoulder longitudinally thereof.

2. Easel structure comprising a base, a support pivotally connected at its upper end to said base and having a shoulder intermediate its ends, a strut pivotally connected at its inner end to the base and having its outer end'extending around the support at a point above said shoulder, the strut being formed to permit sliding movement of the said shoulder longitudinally thereof, and a guide portion adjacent to the upper end of said support in position to engage the outer end of the strut to move. the strut outwardly, when the support is swung outwardly.

3. Easel structure comprising a base, a supporting member of yoke-like form pivotally connected at one end to the base, a strut member of yoke-like form pivotally connected at one end to the base, at a point removed from the first-named pivotal conat their outer ends, whereby the legs of the nection, the legs of the supporting member strut member will be engaged at opposite being drawn in at points intermediate their sides by the Wider portions of the supporting I0 ends to form shoulder portions, and the legs member.

5 of the strut member extending in a generally In testimony whereof I the said WILLIAM transverse direction past 'the'r'educed por- A. HARTMAN have hereunto set my hand' tion of the supporting member and connected 7 WILLIAM A. HARTMAN. 

